Roses
by Medea Arduinna
Summary: Fluffiness abounds in this Hermione? ficlet. Not very original idea, but it kept pestering me. Hermione gets roses from a 'secret admirer' but her goddaughter gives it away. How will she react, and will he 'reveal' himself? RR, even if you hated it...tell


A/N: This was written partly from inspiration by Valentine's Day, but it doesn't take place around V-day, as, er, it says in the piece. So R/R, please...even if you hated it let me know why.  
  
Roses [original, huh]  
By: Sage of Wisdom  
"Tell me another story about Hogwarts, 'Mione," the young girl pleaded, her bright brown eyes sparkling. Hermione Granger smiled, tucking the little girl's bouncy red curls behind her little ears, and opened her mouth to tell the girl she'd nearly run out of stories, when three knocks sounded at the door. The twenty-year-old got up off of the floor she'd been sitting on while she colored with the four-year-old, Kimberly, and, checking her reflection in the foyer mirror just seconds before, flung open the door, but no one stood there.  
"Er, hello? Okay, that was weird..." she looked down at her feet, and spotted a single crimson rose. She laughed, bent down to pick it up, then stopped. Valentine's Day is nearly six months away...who would do this? Maybe it's bewitched, and I'm going to die or be poisoned now. As a precaution, Hermione waved her wand over it, muttering a few words, and a small green-white light appeared over the rose wherever she waved her wand. It was safe. Pocketing her wand again, Hermione carefully picked up the rose, straightened, and closed the door, walking back to the living room, where Kimberly colored furiously a princess's hair black. Kimberly was like the little sister Hermione never had, though she was really Ginny and Colin Creevey's daughter.  
"Who was at the door, 'Mione?"  
"Just this rose."  
"The rose could knock?" Hermione laughed.  
"No, dear, someone left it here. I just don't know who. Maybe they'll come out of hiding before your parents get back."  
"I hope so, I wanna know who it is." And then she continued coloring, this time with a pink crayon, carefully shading in the princess's dress. Hermione sighed and sat on the couch this time, deeply smelling the rose. Who would give her such a thing? She couldn't possibly have a secret admirer. Maybe it was Ron, playing a practical joke on her...but no, he wouldn't sink to that level, to get her hopes up like that. A low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky outside, making the windows slightly vibrate. Hermione looked out the living room window. It was not yet night; the sky was a royal blue, but ominous gray-and-black clouds were swiftly moving in from the east. Great, just what we need, a storm, Hermione bitterly thought. Normally she loved storms, but she wanted to know who the hell left the rose, or if it was even for her.  
"'Mione, look, I finished." Kimberly held out the picture, and Hermione snapped out of her reverie.  
"It's beautiful, you did a great job."  
"It's yours. I want you to have it." Hermione took it, smiling.  
"Thanks, sweetie."  
"Look! Another rose!" The girl pointed at the window Hermione'd just been looking out of, and sure enough, a rose sat on the windowsill - this one white, however. What the bloody hell is this, some Candid Camera-esque show prank? Hermione got up and crossed to the window, opened it and got the rose, placing it with the red one.  
"Maybe I should get these in water, what do you think? Do you think the rose-giver will keep bringing them?"  
"I think so." Kimberly proudly replied, and giggled. I bet she knows something, thought Hermione; she's certainly not dumb, and that twinkle in her eyes...she just looks mischievous. Then a light bulb clicked in Hermione's head. Mischief...who are the two people I know that cause the most mischief for plenty of people?  
"Fred and George," Hermione whispered, answering her own question. She took the roses, a grin on her face, and headed into the kitchen to get a vase out from one of the cabinets beneath the sink. Pushing back the sleeves of her hand-knitted blue sweater (the Christmas gift from Molly Weasley in her sixth year at Hogwarts) so they wouldn't get wet, she ran cold water in the vase and placed the two roses in it, wiping her hands on her jeans. On the counter, another rose appeared, this one crimson-red.  
"All right, Fred-slash-George, you've had your fun. Come on out now."  
"'Mione, Fred and George aren't here," said Kimberly from the doorway.  
"Oh, I guess you're right," said Hermione, deciding she'd play along - for now. "Silly me, why would I think that?"  
"Because they like playing jokes. But this isn't a joke, 'Mione. George told me so." The girl's eyes widened suddenly and she clamped her hands over her mouth. "Oops." She mumbled from behind them. Hermione grinned and planted her hands on her hips.  
"All right, come on out, you." A white rose dropped on Hermione's head and she shrieked and grabbed it. "George Weasley, if you don't come out this minute -"  
"There's a note!" Kimberly pointed out, almost jumping she was so wired. Hermione tore off the note and unfolded the parchment.  
Hermione,  
Red and white means unity. Red is love; white is secrecy. Guess it's not so much of a secret now, huh, thanks to my dear little niece. But who knows if I'll ever reveal myself and my real 'plan' yet? Or ever? Guess I'll have to keep you on your toes.  
None other than--  
Hermione rolled her eyes. That was just like George - always the prankster, but more of the quiet prankster, if that made sense. At least, to her. She smiled and stuffed the note in her pocket and placed the second white rose in the vase with the others.  
  
..::*+*::..  
  
"Good night, sweet dreams," said Hermione and slowly backed into the hallway, quietly closing the door to Kimberly's room. She leaned back against the wall beside the door, closing her eyes, not really hearing the sound of the floor shifting slightly with the weight of someone as they came closer, the carpet muffling their footsteps.  
"So you finally got the kid to bed," said a deep voice that she was expecting, but her stomach still clenched upon hearing it.  
"Looks like I did," she said without opening her eyes, and folded her arms over her chest.  
"Then I can finally do this," he said softly, and all at once she felt his arms around her waist and his mouth on hers and she immediately melted against him, her arms carefully unfolding as her left arm snaked up around his neck and her right hand slid up his chest and over his shoulder. Suddenly she pulled back, as much as she didn't like to, and opened her eyes, staring up into George's hazel ones.  
"Why did you send me the roses? And why are you kissing me?" she asked slowly, not really caring why, but her curiosity got the better of her. As it always did. He grinned. Some things never changed, especially with Miss Hermione Elizabeth Granger.  
"I sent you the roses to have an excuse to come here...and I kissed you because I love you."  
"Oh, really now?"  
"Yes, really now."  
"And how do I know you're not just pulling a silly prank on me once again?"  
"Because I'm not seventeen anymore. And neither are you. And I don't spend money for roses on anyone, or kisses for that matter. Wait, but I'm not paying for the kisses...well, you get what I mean."  
"Maybe I do...but maybe I need a little more convincing."  
"Maybe Ginny and Colin are back home now...I hear their car."  
"We've got a few more minutes."  
  
..::*+*::.. 


End file.
